Method and system for mobile commerce with real-time purchase support

Abstract

A method and system provides the user of a computing device with information, analysis, suggestions and/or recommendations relating to the user's financial information and/or purchasing history, in relation to an electronic commerce transaction initiated by the user at the computing device, prior to, during, or after completion of the electronic commerce transaction.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . At least one computer accessible medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed cause a computing device to:
 detect initiation of an electronic commerce transaction by a user; and   in response to the detecting initiation of the electronic commerce transaction, execute a finance advisor application to provide analysis relating to the user's finances in relation to the initiated electronic commerce transaction.   
     
     
         43 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to provide analysis relating to the impact of the electronic commerce transaction on the user's finances and display, at the computing device, during the electronic commerce transaction, information relating to the impact of the electronic commerce transaction on the user's finances. 
     
     
         44 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to provide analysis relating to at least one method of payment associated with the electronic commerce transaction, select a suggested method of payment based on the analysis, and display, at the computing device, during the electronic commerce transaction, information relating to the suggested method of payment. 
     
     
         45 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 44 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to provide analysis relating to at least one benefit associated with the electronic commerce transaction or the at least one method of payment and display, at the computing device, during the electronic commerce transaction, information relating to the at least one benefit. 
     
     
         46 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to provide analysis relating to at least one transaction type associated with the electronic commerce transaction and display, at the computing device, during the electronic commerce transaction, information relating to the at least one type of commerce transaction. 
     
     
         47 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 46 , wherein the at least one type of commerce transaction comprises purchase, rent, lease, borrow, or joint purchase. 
     
     
         48 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to analyze information relating to a good, service, vendor, or method of payment associated with the electronic commerce transaction, use at least one user-specified preference or rule to determine at least one suggestion relating to the at least one good, service, vendor or method of payment, and display, at the computing device, the at least one suggestion in response to the initiation of the electronic commerce transaction. 
     
     
         49 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to display the at least one suggestion after initiation of the electronic commerce transaction and prior to completion of the electronic commerce transaction. 
     
     
         50 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to access purchase history information associated with the user or financial information relating to the user, and use the purchase history information or the financial information to determine the suggestion. 
     
     
         51 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 50 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to communicate with at least one second computing device over a network to obtain the purchase history information or the financial information. 
     
     
         52 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to execute the finance advisor application prior to completion of the electronic commerce transaction. 
     
     
         53 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to access information relating to a price the user is willing to pay for a product or service, and continuously monitor price information relating to the product or service, wherein the price information relating to the product or service is made available by at least one second computing device communicatively coupled to the computing device. 
     
     
         54 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 53 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to display, at the computing device, a suggestion to initiate an electronic commerce transaction in response to price information relating to the good or service made available by the at least one second computing device corresponding to the price the user is willing to pay for the good or service. 
     
     
         55 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to access preference information specified by the user and using the preference information in the analysis relating to the user's finances in relation to the initiated electronic commerce transaction. 
     
     
         56 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to display the analysis of the finance advisor application at a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         57 . A computing device comprising:
 at least one processor; and   computer circuitry coupled to the at least one processor, the computer circuitry being arranged to cause the at least one processor to:   initiate an electronic commerce transaction in response to an input by a user, and   automatically display, during the electronic commerce transaction, information relating to an anticipated impact of the electronic commerce transaction on the user's finances.   
     
     
         58 . The computing device of  claim 57 , arranged to access a database comprising financial information associated with the user and display information relating to a preferred method of payment of the user, anticipated expenses associated with the user, an anticipated impact of the electronic commerce transaction on the user's expenses, an anticipated impact of the electronic commerce transaction on a method of payment used by the user, or an anticipated benefit associated with a method of payment, a type of transaction, or a vendor associated with the electronic commerce transaction. 
     
     
         59 . The computing device of  claim 58 , arranged to monitor the user's electronic commerce transactions conducted over a period of time and generate an alert in response to one or more electronic transactions being determined to be inconsistent with the user's electronic commerce transactions conducted over a period of time. 
     
     
         60 . At least one computer accessible medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed cause a computing device to:
 initiate an electronic commerce transaction in response to an input by a user,   access a database comprising financial information relating to the user, the financial information comprising payment terms associated with a plurality of methods of payment usable by the user to complete the electronic commerce transaction; and   during the electronic commerce transaction, display information relating to the payment terms associated with the plurality of methods of payment usable by the user to complete the electronic commerce transaction.   
     
     
         61 . The at least one computer accessible medium of  claim 60 , wherein the plurality of methods of payment comprises at least one credit card associated with at least one credit card vendor, and the plurality of instructions cause the computing device to analyze the payment terms and display a suggestion relating to at least one of the methods of payment.